The sheer quantity of such donations caused logistical and inventory control problems until drop-off centers were set up to accept and sort the goods.

The drop-off center was officially opened in the Ecological Park on September 1, 2005.

By the late 1970s some 200 jurisdictions had pickup and recycling programs, which are more successful than voluntary drop-off centers.

By 1998, there were 9,000 such programs and 12,000 recyclable drop-off centers.

Although children left at drop-off centers would, in the end, probably be adopted, the legal path would not be smooth.

The rush to provide newborn drop-off centers is certainly a misallocation of effort.

Summit is one of the best-educated places in the country, a drop-off center for career dropouts.

The museum is "not a drop-off center," Ms. Kitaeff said.

Although there are docents during museum hours, it is not meant to be a drop-off center.

Some law enforcement agencies, however, argue that drop-off centers could well become conduits for stolen items as Internet-based crime rises.